


The Day I Met Her

by PhantomDreamshade



Series: Old Stories [3]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-30
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2019-02-23 21:05:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13198554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhantomDreamshade/pseuds/PhantomDreamshade
Summary: It was the worst day of Alphys' life. But somehow, meeting Undyne managed to give her just a little spark of light.It was the best day of Undyne's life. And somehow, meeting Alphys managed to make it even better.





	1. My Element

Alphys walked down the halls of the Hotland lab, reviewing the reports on her clipboard one final time. “A-Alright,” she said, knocking on a nearby door. It slid open. “M-Mrs. Snowdrake, I-I just wanted to run one last t-test before I send you back t-to your husband. There were a f-few anomalies on the l-last one and I wanted to make s-sure that… um…” she looked around the room. It was empty. “Mrs. S-Snowdrake?”  
A thin, wispy voice drifted from down the corridor. “So… cold…”

“H-Hello?” Alphys closed the door and walked towards the sound. She started to sweat.

“Cold…” the voice answered. Alphys followed it around a corner.

Alphys dropped her clipboard and screamed at the creature in front of her. The color had been blanched from its features, and pieces of it dripped onto the floor like a melted marshmallow. It started shuffling towards her, half of its face sagging nearly to the floor. “Sn… owy… where?” it asked her.

Alphys stumbled backwards, accidentally turning on the voice-to-text device in the pocket of her lab coat as it clattered out onto the floor. “N-No, no nononono--!” She began to hyperventilate as she frantically got to her feet and sprinted away as fast as her short legs could carry her.

A multi-toned howl echoed through the hallways, and a dog-like creature with similar melting figures appeared from thin air to stand in Alphys’ path. She screamed again and skidded to a stop, turning a corner to escape it. She tripped over something, sending her tumbling back onto the floor; an almost bird-like creature sat there, and it said something that sounded like several voices shouting over each other. She couldn’t make out what it was saying.

Alphys began to sob as she pushed past it, running to the elevator. She slammed the button several times as the creatures slowly approached her, until the doors finally opened and she dashed inside. The elevator took her up to the ground floor, and she quickly locked the elevator. Then, she started running.

She couldn’t really tell where she was running to; tears obscured her eyes, and she took her glasses off to wipe them away. A few people shouted after her as she ran, concerned, but she didn’t stop. She couldn’t stop.

Eventually, Alphys tripped and found herself on her hands and knees in knee-deep water. She finally took a deep breath and looked around; her legs had taken her to the human garbage dump. That made sense. Her subconscious would have taken her to a place of comfort after enduring a stressful situation.

‘Stressful situation.’ That didn’t even begin to cover it. Just what had she done?

The determination, she realized. It made minor distortions on magical matter on some of her earlier experiments with it; she thought the effects were negligible, but clearly that wasn’t the case. With the concentrations she had given her subjects, and prolonged exposure, the resulting spatial flux could have…

Oh god. She’d compromised their molecular structure. The jumbled voices, the size and shape of the… whatever-they-were’s… the test subjects had melted together.

There was no possible way to separate the constituent matter at this point; it would be like trying to pick apart slightly-different-colored grains of sand. She’d… she hadn’t even killed them. She’d condemned them to a fate worse than death.

She pulled herself from her own thoughts long enough to realize she had walked to the ledge overlooking the abyss. No one knew where it went; it seemed to go on forever. She had to go _back_ there, she realized, down into the lab again. She couldn’t just leave them down there. Even in whatever state they were in, they were still technically alive. They would need food, water, possibly some sort of stabilizing treatment… and that was assuming they didn’t try to kill her for what she’d done to them. If they even had enough lucidity left to remember what she’d done to them.

But even that wasn’t the worst part. What would she say to everyone else? What would they do to her when they realized exactly what she had been doing? Being fired as the Royal Scientist, her lifelong dream, was the least of her worries.

How did you tell someone that the mother, sister, or friend you’d promised to send back to them didn’t exist anymore? How could you tell them that they weren’t even resting in peace? How could you tell them it was all your fault?

Alphys’ heart dropped as she came to a horrible realization. She couldn’t tell them. She couldn’t tell anyone. It just… wasn’t possible. Not for a coward like her.

Her eyes wandered back to the blurry abyss before her; she put her glasses back on her face. The darkness didn’t have any answers for her. But it did listen; and wait. Darkness - calm, simple, final.

Wouldn’t darkness be easier? Wouldn’t it just be easier to step off of that ledge and… disappear? No more deep secrets, no more worse-than-dead monsters.

Wasn’t that what she deserved?

“Hey there!” A loud, booming voice snatched Alphys from her dark reverie. She shrieked, stumbling over her feet as she tried to find the source.

She felt herself falling.

It was almost graceful, for just a moment - that weightless feeling before she knew what was happening. Then, her heart began to pound rapidly, fear flooding her body. She was going to die. She screamed.

She closed her eyes, not wanting to see her own end. She heard the sound of feet sprinting through water. She heard the sound of magic flaring to life. She heard the sound of rock splitting apart. She felt something wrap around her chest, and she grabbed onto it for dear life.

Alphys’ eyes flew open, and she found herself suspended over the rock shelf again. A blue spear stuck out from the ledge, used as a pivot by whomever had rescued her. She looked down and realized that the thing she had been holding onto was an arm - muscular, blue, and covered in scales.

“You gotta be more careful next time!” the voice said from above her. “Unless you’ve got wings I can’t see, no one should be standing that close to the ledge.” Alphys looked up; it was a fish-like monster with a red ponytail and an eyepatch on her left eye. Alphys just stared at her for a long moment, wits completely gone. “Hey. You alright?”

Alphys blinked and finally found some words to put in her mouth. “U-U-Uh, y-yes! Th-Thank y-you!” The woman set her on the ground and put her hands on her hips, wearing a wide grin. She looked almost… ecstatic. “U-Um… if you don’t mind me asking… j-just who are you?”

The woman’s grin broadened further, if that was possible. “My name is Undyne. You’re looking at the new Captain of the Royal Guard!”

Alphys’ eyes widened. “O-Oh! That’s… w-wow!”

“Fuhuhu. First day on the job, and I’m already saving people! This job RULES!” Alphys ducked a little, wincing from the volume of her voice. “Heh. Sorry,” she apologized, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly. “So, uh… what’s your name?”

“Hmm?” Alphys gave her a blank stare for a few moments before stuttering out a response. “O-Oh, I’m, um, A-Alphys.”

“Hey, aren’t you that new Royal Scientist lady that got appointed a few months ago or something?”

“U-Uh, yeah!”

“That is SO cool! You must be, like, the smartest person in the Underground!”

“W-Well, I don’t know a-about--”

“Hey, I guess that makes us colleagues or something! You’re the smartest, I’m the strongest - wow, this really is the best day ever!”

Alphys could practically feel the happiness oozing out of Undyne, and it made her smile just a little bit. There was just something about her - the way she talked, or the way she smiled, or…

Oh. That was it. She was _gorgeous_.

Alphys’ scales started to turn red as her sluggish brain finally caught up to the situation. Oh god, she was blushing in front of the new Royal Guard captain right after she saved her life, what was she thinking coming here why of alldaysdidshe--

“So, uh… I was just doing my rounds for the day, but what’s the Royal Scientist doing at the garbage dump?” Undyne asked.

Alphys was fairly certain her brain had short-circuited. _Because I’m garbage, just like everything here_ , she thought. Thank the stars she didn’t say it out loud, her tongue instead running away with a different train of thought. “O-Oh, you know, just, uh… c-collecting some human h-history!” She absently grabbed something from the garbage pile behind her and looked at it. Ooo, it was an anime she’d never seen before! Hopefully the disk inside was still in good condition and she could watch--

“Huh? That thing’s human history?” Undyne asked. She bent down to look at it.

“W-Well, sure, if you c-count--”

“Wait, wait. That sword’s like… ten times the size of his body! I had no idea humans could do stuff like _that_!”

“I-I uh, didn’t m-mean that--”

“Oh my god. You’re smart and stuff, right? Do you think you could help me figure out how to make a giant sword like that down here?”

Alphys looked at Undyne’s face. It was practically beaming, lit up by what could only be described as puppy-dog eyes. “S-Sure! I could definitely d-do that!” Alphys’ mouth started moving without her permission. This was an anime - not real. She couldn’t just let Undyne go on believing that anime was--

The thought was immediately tossed from her mind as Undyne picked her up in a giant bear hug. “You just… Gaaah! I didn’t think there was any way for today to get better and then _you_ show up!” Undyne laughed out. She put Alphys back on the ground. “Are you busy this weekend? I could come over to the lab and help you work on the sword and stuff! And you could show me more of this human history junk, ‘cause this looks so awesome!” She pointed to the anime case in Alphys’ hand.

“U-Uh, yeah, I should b-be free,” Alphys said. Her voice was far beyond her control at this point.

“Great! I’d offer to come earlier, but I’ve got all of this boring ceremony stuff I’ve gotta go to for becoming Captain and everything.”

“R-Really? I always thought the c-ceremonies were really interesting,” Alphys said. Undyne brightened even more.

“You should totally come tomorrow, then! I bet it would be a lot less boring with you around,” she grinned. Alphys’ blush deepened even further, but thankfully Undyne either didn’t notice or didn’t say anything.

“I-I mean, I don’t have anything n-nice enough to wear to a ceremony l-like that,” Alphys said.

“Don’t worry about it! I’ll take you shopping beforehand! I’ll just drop by the lab in the morning and pick you up. I saw this one dress in a store in the capital that I bet would look _so_ cute on you.”

_Cute?_ “That s-sounds great! I-I’ll, um, see you t-tomorrow!”

“Awesome!” Undyne cheered. “I am _so_ glad I met you today. I better go finish my rounds. See you!” Undyne waved to Alphys as she jogged off, happy as could be.

Alphys stared after her in a dreamlike state, before shaking herself back to reality. The weight of all her new problems stole her smile again. She glanced back at the ledge, and took a deep breath.

She walked back towards the laboratory. Like it or not, she had a responsibility to the monsters down in the lab.

And maybe, just maybe… something to look forward to.


	2. The Best Day Ever

Undyne dodged to the side as the head of an electricity-charged flail slammed into the wall beside her head. The stonework splintered apart as she rolled to the side and jumped onto her feet, blocking another swing with a summoned spear. The chain became entangled around it, and Undyne pulled hard.

The weapon slipped from her opponent’s grasp, and she caught the handle in midair. The spear vanished. “NGAAAAAH!”

Undyne leaped into the air and slammed the flail down onto the knight’s helmet. There was a sound reminiscent of a gong, combined with the crackle of electricity. He fell to his knees, and Undyne summoned a spear to point at his throat. The man chuckled.

He took off his helmet, revealing an alligator-like face covered in battle scars and a fresh (but not serious) head wound. “Looks like I shouldn’ta underestimated you, lassie. You’re strong.”

“You bet I am,” Undyne beamed proudly. She dismissed the spear and offered him a hand up.

“No one likes a braggart,  _ Captain _ ,” the monster grinned. “A deal’s a deal. Job’s all yours. It’s about time I be retiring, anyways.”

“I never said you had to do  _ that _ ,” Undyne said. “You can be my second-in-command!”

He just laughed good-naturedly. “Nah, lassie, I don’t think so. I’m not getting any younger, and I think some new blood would be good for the guard. A lot of us are getting up in years - so maybe it’s time you started looking for some new folks to take over.”

Undyne sighed and gave him a pat on the back. “You sure, old man?”

“I’m sure. But not before I send you off with a proper initiation ceremony! I expect your best clothes and your best behavior tomorrow.”

“Ugh. We’re warriors, though! Why do we have to wear fancy clothes and stand in some boring old ceremony for hours?” She crossed her arms and pouted a little.

“Because the rest of us had to suffer through one too, and we’re not letting you get off that easy!” he boomed, returning the back-pat. “But for now, you better go do your rounds, lass. No slacking off just ‘cause you’re the boss now!”

Undyne smiled again. “I’d never dream of it, sir. I’ll see you tomorrow!” Undyne jogged off, and the former captain shook his head in amusement.

“That girl sure is something. I’ve never met anyone like her.” He started taking off his armor, wincing as the metal rubbed against a fresh set of bruises. Undyne played for keeps, that was certain. “I think I’m leaving us in good hands.”

* * *

Undyne took a turn near her house and went towards the garbage dump. _Almost_ _done_ , she thought. _Then I can figure out what the hell I’m going to wear tomorrow._

At first, it looked like the dump was empty (of people), but as she turned the corner, Undyne saw a cute little lizard-monster standing near the ledge.  _ Very _ near the ledge. That wasn’t safe; Undyne decided to tell her so before something happened and she hurt herself. “Hey there!” she called out, trying to get her attention as she bounded over.

Apparently Undyne had startled the poor thing, which wasn’t unusual. She just had one of those voices. But then she stumbled, and…

Oh stars, she fell over the edge.

Undyne didn’t waste a single second; she sprinted forward at full speed, reaching the ledge in a flash. The monster had already fallen below the lip, so Undyne readied a spear in her right hand as she dove off of the cliff. Time seemed to slow as her instincts took over.

She grabbed the woman with her left arm as she hung upside-down in midair, and rammed her spear into the cliffside. Then, she let gravity take her down and toss her back up as she pivoted around with her free hand, springing up into the air and making a perfect three-point landing. She stood up, the monster clinging to her arm for dear life. Undyne took a deep breath; that had been too close.

“You gotta be more careful next time!” she scolded. “Unless you’ve got wings I can’t see, no one should be standing that close to the ledge.” The monster just looked up at her and stared. Probably still in shock, she guessed. “Hey. You alright?”

“U-U-Uh, y-yes! Th-Thank y-you!” she finally said. Undyne smiled, the adrenaline running through her blood improving her mood even further. She was  _ rocking _ this job. “U-Um… if you don’t mind me asking… j-just who are you?”

Undyne wasn’t going to pass up an opportunity to show off her new position. “My name is Undyne. You’re looking at the new Captain of the Royal Guard!”

The lizard monster looked impressed. “O-Oh! That’s… w-wow!”

“Fuhuhu. First day on the job, and I’m already saving people! This job RULES!” Action, adventure, cute girls - talk about a dream job. “Heh. Sorry,” she said, apologizing for her volume. She really needed to work on that. “So, uh… what’s your name?”

“Hmm? O-Oh, I’m, um, A-Alphys.” Huh. That name sounded familiar, but Undyne was sure she would remember meeting this person…

“Hey, aren’t you that new Royal Scientist lady that got appointed a few months ago or something?”

“U-Uh, yeah!” She turned away shyly. Stars, she was adorable.

“That is SO cool! You must be, like, the smartest person in the Underground!”

“W-Well, I don’t know a-about--”

“Hey, I guess that makes us colleagues or something! You’re the smartest, I’m the strongest - wow, this really is the best day ever!” They were both, like, Asgore’s right-hand women. She’d have to ask him about Alphys later. She really wanted to know more about her. Although, she supposed asking Alphys herself was a good start. “So, uh… I was just doing my rounds for the day, but what’s the Royal Scientist doing at the garbage dump?”

“O-Oh, you know, just, uh… c-collecting some human h-history!” She said. She picked up some weird case-thing and started looking at it. She looked kind of excited.

“Huh? That thing’s human history?” She bent down to look at it, wanting to know what all the fuss was about. It looked like some kind of drawing - the person on the front must have been a human, then. Was that a sword he was holding over his head? It was gigantic! How strong were humans supposed to be?

“W-Well, sure, if you c-count--”

“Wait, wait,” Undyne interrupted her. She  _ had _ to know what this was about. “That sword’s like… ten times the size of his body! I had no idea humans could do stuff like  _ that _ !”

“I-I uh, didn’t m-mean that--”

“Oh my god,” A thought came to Undyne, and she couldn’t hold back. “You’re smart and stuff, right? Do you think you could help me figure out how to make a giant sword like that down here?” She really, really, really, really, really, reeeaaallly wanted that sword. It would look so COOL in her house.

“S-Sure! I could definitely d-do that!” Alphys said, making Undyne’s day. Action, adventure, and cute girls that could make oversized weapons for her. Hell yes.

Undyne couldn’t resist picking Alphys up and hugging her. “You just… Gaaah! I didn’t think there was any way for today to get better and then  _ you _ show up!” This girl was awesome, Undyne was awesome, and she could only imagine all the awesome things they would be able to do together.

“Are you busy this weekend? I could come over to the lab and help you work on the sword and stuff! And you could show me more of this human history junk, ‘cause this looks so awesome!” She just wanted to be prepared for fighting humans, of course. No ulterior motives whatsoever.

“U-Uh, yeah, I should b-be free,” Alphys told her. Undyne hoped Alphys was as excited as she was.

“Great! I’d offer to come earlier, but I’ve got all of this boring ceremony stuff I’ve gotta go to for becoming Captain and everything.” Ugh. The one un-awesome part of the job.

“R-Really? I always thought the c-ceremonies were really interesting,” Alphys said. She was probably a history nerd or something, which Undyne could respect. You’ve gotta follow your passions, after all!

“You should totally come tomorrow, then! I bet it would be a lot less boring with you around,” Undyne told her, eager to give something back after Alphys completely made her day. Even if it was something that Undyne considered boring. One woman’s trash is another one’s treasure, and all that.

“I-I mean, I don’t have anything n-nice enough to wear to a ceremony l-like that,” Alphys told her, and another idea popped into Undyne’s head. She was going to have to buy some nice clothes for tomorrow anyway, and there was that one dress in the capitol that looked about Alphys’ size. 

“Don’t worry about it! I’ll take you shopping beforehand! I’ll just drop by the lab in the morning and pick you up. I saw this one dress in a store in the capital that I bet would look  _ so _ cute on you.” Just when Undyne thought Alphys couldn’t get any cuter, she noticed that she was blushing.  _ Stars _ , this was a good day.

“That s-sounds great! I-I’ll, um, see you t-tomorrow!”

“Awesome! I am  _ so _ glad I met you today. I better go finish my rounds. See you!” Undyne pumped a fist into the air as soon as she was out of sight. What. A. Day. How could  _ anyone _ be upset on a day like this?


End file.
